Like a Sponge podcast: The power of purpose

Like a Sponge podcast: The power of purpose

Just 40 percent of adults say they feel a strong sense of purpose in their lives, but research shows that a sense of purpose makes people happier, healthier, and more successful. We talked to researchers, parents and kids about how you can help your child begin a path toward a meaningful life.

Links and Resources

Here’s a practice for helping your teenager explore meaningful life goals.

One thing nearly all teens agree on is that most of what high school teaches is irrelevant to their lives and their future careers. Here’s what a purpose-driven curriculum would look like.

Researcher and professor of psychology Kendall Cotton Bronk on five ways to foster purpose in adolescents.

Want to build a virtual community at your child’s school? Check out our series of free presentations on raising compassionate, courageous kids. Designed for anyone to deliver over Zoom or in person, they come with a presenter script, an entertaining slide deck, and audience participation prompts.

This episode of Like a Sponge was produced by Carol Lloyd and Charity Ferreira for GreatSchools, thanks to the support of U.C. Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center and the John Templeton Foundation. Sound editing and design by Christopher Ferreira. Special thanks to Armando Pizano of Bridge Tutoring, the Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes; Kendall Cotton Bronk; and Carmen and Tim Warder.

^{The music you heard in this episode is by The Pretenders (Sense of Purpose), Alan Carlson-Green (Little Boat), and Carmen Warder and her band, Trash Elf (Pigeon). Like a Sponge’s Season 2 theme is Blue and Green by RimskyMusic.}